Refrigeration systems are generally utilized adjust the temperature within a certain area. In the case of air conditioner units, one or more units may operate to adjust the temperature within structures such as dwellings and office buildings. In particular, one-unit type room air conditioner units may be utilized to adjust the temperature in, for example, a single room or group of rooms of a structure. Such air conditioner units may include, for instance, a sealed system to cool or heat the room. The sealed system may include a compressor, one or more heat exchangers, and an expansion device.
Conventional systems are often formed from various components that are designed for specific operating conditions. As an example, the components of a conventional sealed system may be generally designed to draw heat from (i.e., cool) air directed therethrough. Thus, the sealed system will optimized to absorb heat from incoming air before directing cooled air away from the sealed system and out of the air conditioner. In some instances, it may be possible to reverse this operation to impart heat to incoming air before directing the heated air away from the sealed system and out of the air conditioner. Although such a system might be alternately used to generate a cooling effect and a heating effect, it is generally not possible to provide an ideal configuration for each effect. For instance, the ideal amount of refrigerant or air flow through or across a specific component may be different for generating a cooling effect than it would be for generating a heating effect. Moreover, in some instances, undesirable particulate, such as contaminates imparted to the compressor during assembly, may flow to various downstream components. Reversing the operation of the sealed system may cause these particulates to flow back into the sealed system, potentially damaging one or more components, such as the compressor itself.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a sealed heat exchange system, as within an air conditioner, that could be readily optimized for cooling operations and heating operations. Moreover, it would be advantageous to provide such a system without increasing the risk that undesirable particulates may flow back within the system.